


The F(r)ight For His Might

by GothMoth



Series: Ectobers Ectoplasmic Splatters [12]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Betrayal, Blood and Gore, Future Fic, Gen, Ghost King Danny Fenton, Graphic Description, Melting, boiling, bones - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 14:33:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21120344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothMoth/pseuds/GothMoth
Summary: The FrightKnight’s been called plenty, most importantly loyal. But he’s betrayed his king, supposedly anyway.





	The F(r)ight For His Might

**Author's Note:**

> Ectober 2019 Day 19: Loyalty

The FrightKnight steps back and watches with squinted eyes after handing over the Ring Of Rage to the older halfa. Watching as he dons the ring and Crown Of Fire, waiting for the items' power to inevitably destroy the man. He was a fool for believing he was strong enough to handle such things. 

Vlad grins maliciously as he places the crown over his head, puffing out his chest as he waits for the two items to recognise each other. Only to stiffen and jerk, as searing hot pain rips throughout his body. Collapsing onto his knees and one hand to his chest, over his core, as it’s battered by flames and burned by acid. Screaming into the ground as the FrightKnight stands in front of him and watches, unsurprised and uncaring. 

Vlad grits out as his body shakes and starts to steam, “this, you didn’t warn...”.

FrightKnight crosses his arms, “do you truly believe I would defy my king for the likes of you? One so weak and can’t win through means of your own? No, you’ll just be added to his highnesses power”. 

While Vlad fully collapses to the floor, cape beginning to burn away and limbs liquifying in places; snapping to reform only to start melting again. Vlad coughs and gags, splattering out the vibrant fuchsia ectoplasm of his core. Green ectoplasm dripping from his eyes and ears, before being joined by a river of red as Vlad forcibly transforms back. Creating a pollock painting of reds, fuchsias and greens; foaming, bubbling and burning. Legs and arms giving out to slam his face and chest into the mess, bubbles popping and splashing from the impact; spattering across his face, into his eyes, and on the FrightKnight’s boots. 

The FrightKnight tears off what’s left of Vlad jacket as the man curls and writhes on the floor. Using the fabric to wipe off his boots and tossing the soiled fabric back onto the dissolving man. Chuckling as Vlad tries to tear off the Ring Of Rage, “your fates already sealed. To be claimed by the inferno of rage. Be glad your pathetic existence will go on to power a true king”. 

Vlad coughs, trying to move his hands up to push away the crown, to get it off his head. But contacting the flaming metal just burns his fingers flesh and bone away to nothing. Arms dissolving into a grotesque puddle of red and green seconds later. So he pushes desperately across the floor, using what’s left of his thighs and little bit of knee to do so. Trying to use a table leg to push off the crown, only for it to become intangible against his will; while the FrightKnight shakes his head, “the least you could do is die and fade with some dignity”. Vlad shakes and vomits, watching through bleary eyes as the FrightKnight walks over to him, “but you never had any dignity did you? I’ve seen how you use that other halfa, all the attempted experiments. How you clamour for a boy beyond your reach. How you try to subjugate a woman beyond your reach. Making clones and holograms. Robots and programs. Surrounding yourself with things you never acquired truly. The pathetic delusions of a weak worm of a man”. 

Vlad screams but tries to glare defiantly as he feels his intestines come lose and spill out of his abdomen, the skin and muscle having burned and bubbled away. Chunks of ribs and vertebra slipping out the tears and holes in his skin. Pieces of fabric still intact laying in the mess, forming clumps of viscera as the muscles in his throat tear apart. Being shredded by the sheer amount of oxygen being forced to pass through. Making blood choke and gag him, before holes burn into his throat, blood rushing out to be free of the degrading man’s too hot body. But it gives him no relief as his lungs expand and explode with superheated air, making his heart slide out across the floor. His core liquifying completely into a thick mess of fuchsia across bits of bone, organs and fabric that are currently passing for his chest. 

Jerking and gagging as his teeth fall out, falling into the back of his throat, as his vision swims. The pain is everything now, to such a degree that he hardly feels it anymore. His mind swimming in a sea of agony and numb nothing. Feeling nothing but relief as the numb becomes everything and he feels his self falling into a pit of nothing at the bottom of a swimming pool. Only to jerk and sputter out what nearly qualifies as a groan, as a final wave of sharp burning pain shoots across his whole being. Until there’s nothing but the flames and final spiteful emotion. The world would never better Vlad, never beat him down. He would own it. Or so he thought. 

The FrightKnight looks to one of the clocks, growing bored. Before grinning down at the messy puddles and streaks across the floor. Bending down to cup the Crown Of Fire. Walking over to the first puddle of viscera and pocketing the Ring Of Rage. Not so much as dignifying the mess with another glance as he heads to the master bedroom. Plucking the key to the Sarcophagus Of Forever Sleep from the former halfas nightstand, and leaving through the basement portal. “What a foolish thing”. 

* * *

The FrightKnight stands before and bows at his kings' place of slumber before moving to unlock it. Only to still his hand at the sound of a power and authority filled voice. 

“That’s far enough”. 

The FrightKnight turns around to see the young halfa, the one who faced his king and won. Though he did it aided and not purely of his own power. Regardless, he had earned a level of respect. Any who could truly face the true High Ghost King in battle did. “Speak your piece as you wish. I will be releasing his highness regardless”.

Danny rolls his eyes and scoffs, “oh I’m well aware of that”, nodding his head off to the side, making the FrightKnight turn his head to see a strange purple cloaked ghost with a staff. 

The stranger smiles ever so slightly, “fret not, I’m not here to interfere. Simply to float as a watchful eye”. 

The FrightKnight looks back to the young halfa, understanding what he intends to do and that this strange ghost had somehow known that Pariah was to be released. Speaking at the halfa, “you wish to truly do battle against his majesty in earnest. Unaided and alone”. 

“I have faced him once, though aided and young. I have earned such a right”, Danny stands tall and threatening, voice deep, “will you dare defy me that”. 

The FrightKnight dips his head slightly, “I would not dream of it. For there is nothing I respect above Might Gives Right”, the FrightKnight nods his head at the stranger ghost, “nor will I interfere. You have your deponent, my king shall have his”. 

The cloaked ghost grins and floats to be beside the halfa, speaking professionally, “then it is agreed”, producing a silver scroll and holding one end out to the FrightKnight. Who nods curtly and grabs onto the end. 

The stranger, being the crowns challengers deponent, speaks first, “as the Ancient master of time and guardian of Phantom’s fate. I, ClockWork, hold and observe in royal clash. May fade unto dust thee who falls, and may illuminate in their deathly sway thee who enthrones. Immortal coil grant crown spear and maim yet chose wisely. Hail the High Ghost King, blazing death keep thee and life’s bite never mark thee. Revere the High Ghost Prince, frosted death keep thee and life’s bite keep thee marked”. 

The FrightKnight swallows down his shock over who, exactly, this ghost is. But it garners the young halfa respect all the more. To have an ally of such power and sway; above that of even himself. The FrightKnight dips his head slightly in a show of respect to the Ancient before speaking, “as the keeper of Halloween’s Fright and Pariah’s High Dread Knight. I, FrightKnight, hold and observe in royal clash. May fade unto dust thee who falls, and may illuminate in their deathly sway thee who enthrones. Immortal coil grant crown spear and maim yet chose wisely. Revere the High Ghost Prince, frosted death keep thee and life’s bite keep thee marked. Hail the High Ghost King, blazing death keep thee and life’s bite never mark thee”. The paper bursting into flames as soon as he finishes speaking. 

ClockWork floats to sit in a chair of gear cogs and ticking clocks that appears to the side. Watching as Phantom walks up to the Sarcophagus Of Forever Sleep with the FrightKnight. 

The FrightKnight glances at the halfa and nods slightly, “you are nothing like the other one. Should you rise or fall, you have my respect. You shall be remembered as a worthy Prince if not King”. 

Danny smiles, “your shattered loyalty made me lose mine towards you. But clearly that was not the case. You just let Vlad’s plan fall apart on its own time”. 

The FrightKnight can see a sadness to the young halfas face but he also seems resigned. The destruction of the only other halfa obviously unpleasant but seemingly expected. Something tells him that isn’t because of already knowing the elder halfa had perished. Clearly the younger one was well aware the elder one would destroy himself in his foolish quest for undeserved power and ownership, “He could never have wielded them. He lacked the might”.

“And I?”.

The FrightKnight pauses and looks Phantom over, the halfa has grown over the years. In height, muscle and power. Wisdom and maturity as well it would seem. “That remains to be seen. But I know of no other who might”. 

Phantom smirks as he watches the FrightKnight unlock the Sarcophagus and kneel; steam billowing out as Pariah comes into view. 

Parish steps forward and grins, “you have returned, my loyal servant”, taking the offered crown as he looks to Phantom, “ah the young powerful one. You have grown”. 

Danny smirks, “I’ve grown to fill my throne”. If anyone else had said that, the FrightKnight would have taken it as engorged ego instead of mirthful humour. 

Pariah takes his ring, bellowing with the power and pain it grants him, before stepping to stand in front of the challenger. Grinning down at him, “you are the first in eons worth my time. And so you stand to face me in truth. I commend your courage hybrid, I will take great pleasure in stripping you of it”. 

Danny laughs as they stand a distance away from each other. The FrightKnight sitting in a chair of pumpkins and bats, as Danny speaks, “my strength of will in battle is one thing that no thing could defeat”. Danny then straightens, bellowing with power and confidence, “I, Danny Phantom, the true halfa and guardian of the Mortal Realm, claim title and place of High Ghost Prince in challenging Pariah Dark, the High Ghost King. To claim throne and mastery of death. To stand illuminated above all others. So come and let blazing death face frosted death. And immortal coil grant crown spear and maim yet chose wisely”. 

Pariah grins, “I, Pariah Dark, the High Ghost King and Guardian of the Ghost Realm, grant Danny Phantom his place as High Ghost Prince and accept grand dual. To reaffirm what is mine by right and might, above all others. Frosted death to indeed clash blazing death. And immortal coil grant crown spear and maim yet chose wisely”. 

With that, flames surround the two as they face off. Danny laughing and bellowing with the thrill of battle, Pariah smirking and eyes glinting with intrigue, as they rush each other. 

Danny instantly shooting out ectoblasts and beams, Pariah matching them. Bouncing off shields, flying and twisting around each other; before both create swords and clash in truth. Phantom’s of ectoice and Pariah’s of ectoflames. 

Pariah speaks with blades in front of both of their faces, “you are a child no more, so too is your power no more a burden”. 

Danny chuckles as he forces his blade back against Pariah, pushing him back by sheer force, “as I told you years ago. Burdens are based in how you use power, and no one stays young if they use it right”. Before flying forward and slamming the hilt into the side of Pariah’s face. Back flipping to dodge an ectoblast and kicking Pariah in the back.

Pariah slams into a wall but quickly springs himself back and slices Phantom back. Normally anyone would finch away from the blow and Pariah would use the opening to attack again, but not Phantom. Who simply turns and ducks, aggravating the injury, before slashing Pariah’s stomach; following it up with an icy blast. 

Pariah grunts and kneels slightly, “you’ve seen a lot of suffering, eh young one”. 

Danny just chuckles, “existence is suffering, but I bare it gladly”, kicking Pariah across the face and into a wall, “for the sake of others, for the sake of protection, for the sake of what’s right”, flying over and landing his feet on Pariah’s chest, “such is the role of a _proper _king”.

Pariah grabs and squeezes Danny’s throat as he drives his icy sword through Pariah’s chest and core. Who cries out in pain as Danny tears out his sword and spins out of the grip on his neck, slashing Pariah across the face in the process. 

Pariah lunges up and towards Phantom as the halfa springs away, only to watch the Crown Of Fire fall from his head and clatter to the ground. The two stand and stare at the crown, Phantom smirking, but Pariah has no intention of acknowledging defeat. Crying out, “NEVER!”, before slicing his blazing sword at Phantom. 

But Danny doesn’t so much as flinch away or try to block, full well knowing he doesn’t need to, as Pariah stills in the air. ClockWork and the FrightKnight walking over. ClockWork speaking with a smirk as he makes sure only Pariah’s head is free from their stopping of time around him, “I am sure you know well who I am. This battle is lost. If you wish to fight Phantom once more, you’ll do so under the name of Prince, not King”, before slipping the Ring Of Rage off Pariah’s finger. The FrightKnight picking up the Crown Of Fire and looking towards Phantom, both with surprise and respect, before looking back to Pariah, “I serve kings, as has always been my way. I hail your mighty dark reign as it was, in times past not futures to come”. 

Pariah glares and grits out, “you are my servant. I demand you _obey_”. 

The FrightKnight shakes his head, “my loyalty lies with that whom rules. I am neither owned nor bribed”. 

Danny smirks, thoroughly impressed and slightly surprised, but points his sword in Pariah’s face, “ah the splendid differences between having a friend and having an employee. Friends stand by the person, employees stand by the title. You have lost, and now you _will kneel_”. 

“_NEVER_”.

Danny just chuckles as he floats over the Sarcophagus Of Forever Sleep with telekinesis. Speaking as the door flicks open, “expected”, shrugging as he walks forward and grips the still frozen old king's collar, “now normally, you’d be free to leave. Establish a lair, maybe challenge me. But with all you have done, those you have hurt and having attempted to harm my lair. You’ve lost such a privilege”. 

Pariah cries out, “NO!”, as Danny unclasps his cape and flings it around his own shoulders. The cape altering Its size to fit Its new rightful owner, green skulls clasping onto Danny’s jumpsuit as white flames burst to life around Danny’s neck. Danny kicks Pariah into the Sarcophagus as Pariah glares, “they will never follow a half creature”. Danny chuckles, “they already do”, motioning out the window to the watching crowd. Some are allies, some battle opponents, some are true foes; but all either bow or kneel towards him. 

So with a smirk, Danny slams the Sarcophagus door shut and the FrightKnight locks it with a resounding click. 

Two Observants appear and wrap it in chains, one turning to Danny, “he will be held for his wrongs in the Eyes Of Ovi Colosseum”. The other one turning to Danny before they float off with the Sarcophagus, “and hail High Ghost King Phantom”. 

Danny chuckles, easily hearing how forced that was, before turning to look between ClockWork and the FrightKnight. Who swap their royal artifacts. ClockWork, being Danny’s deponent, having the right to crowning Danny. Who kneels before the old time ghost, looking up at him with a loose smirk, “you’ve seen some serious shit now, haven’t you. I never could have imagined this as a child, but then again”, chuckling, “you know everything”. 

ClockWork smiles as he holds up the crown, “that I do Daniel. Such is my blessing and curse”, stepping forward, “now, do you, Danny Phantom, bind yourself to crown, ring and throne. Bind yourself to the powers and sway they grant. To stand above and beyond the touch of Minora, Majora, and Seal law. To stand as creator and guide of the Kings Decrees. Will you keep guard over the Ghost Realm and all those inside it. And stand guard against all those who would seek it harm or destruction; mortal, dead, or unlived. Do you swear to know the gravity of this might and that you can ensure you take this knowing full well you can never relinquish it nor pass it on, due to the nature of your existence; deathless unfade as you are. Granted that you never face defeat”. 

Danny smirks up at his old friend and mentor, knowing this was nothing but formalities, “with absolute resolution I know, accept and bind. Core bared, I will stand guardian and king, overall the ghostly lands claimed through might mine. That I shall do so forevermore, so long as I hold my might”. 

ClockWork smiles and places the crown over his head, the green flames blazing brighter and bathing the room in a cold glow instead of the once hot one. 

The FrightKnight steps up as Danny stands, “then to you, Core bared, I grant and swear allegiance to your illuminated sway. Should you take me and grant me serve under your grand resplendent dominion. Hallows eve to hold steadfast to your reign for all its blessed eons”. 

Danny nods with a smile and holds up his left hand, letting the High Dread Knight put the Ring Of Wrath onto his hand. Which shifts and changes forms, from an angry skull to a sad one, becoming the Ring Of Suffering. The FrightKnight stands stiff and stabs his sword into the ground, placing his hands on the base. As Danny grits his teeth and refuses to cry out in pain as the two items recognise each other. Shooting burning and freezing pain through his whole body. He does jerk slightly but shakes himself off immediately. His smile becoming more soft than forced while the FrightKnight blinks in shock, even Pariah could not handle such pain so smoothly. 

Danny nods at the FrightKnight, “I am a plenty suffered one”, placing his hands over the FrightKnight’s, on-top of the sword, “I see no better loyal knight to continue his stand as High Dread Knight than that of the keeper of Halloween’s Fright. However, you shall do so not as an indentured servant or obedient pet, but as a respected authority and guiding hand”. 

The FrightKnight blinks, again shocked but pleased, “as you wish, my highness”, before kneeling; receiving a pat on the helmet from Phantom. Which he forces himself to not look confused by. 

Danny steps in front of ClockWork, “and will you, keeper of my fate, stand as my advisor and mentor still. Yet I can trust that you will always keep time above all others, self and me”. 

ClockWork smiles and bows, “but of course. As it always was and always will be. I bless you keep and forever know the guardian of time as one who stands alongside your reign and wisdom. To provide for it but never buckle under it”. 

The FrightKnight again shoves down his shock as Phantom sticks his hand under the master of time’s cloak and ruffles the guardian's hair. Both powerful ghosts quietly laughing all the while. 

Danny walks out to stand before the crowd of ghosts, flanked by ClockWork and the FrightKnight. Swishing his cape out dramatically and letting his eyes blaze with power as he bellows, “I stand before ye and Realms as High Ghost King, now and forever in might. I claim that which is rightfully mine and my place amongst ye. I shall favour none, ye shall seek me and spare with me as ye see fit. I will not stand before ye an untouchable man nor an ear unwilling to listen. However, know this, I stand and rule as mortal and ghost. As I will always”. 

Only those who were truly Danny’s foes did not smile, Walker in fact scoffed, but all kneeled deeply and punched a fist into the ground. Shouting in near unison, “hail High Ghost King Danny Phantom! Grant he keep might and right! Grant us serve and flourish! For mighty King of Ghosts he be!”. 

Danny smiles as he spins around, cape billowing out dramatically, as he walks to sit upon his throne. Resting his elbow on the armrest and chin on his fist, as the throne reforms to fight his size. Black, white and angular; peppered with red and green gemstones with white flames bursting to life behind it. The throne room hallway sprouting massive Yew trees with glowing green leaves and black trunks to line the walls. Blue daffodils peppering and blooming open around the trunk bases. The whole castle changing to blacks and whites; pristine and shiny. 

The ghosts float just outside of the place now known as Phantom’s keep, as Its lands change from dead trees and barren stones. To a vast expanse of fields, trees, flowers, and ponds; white shimmering mist winding throughout it all. Watching as fairy lights blink and bob around, glowing softly through the mist and illuminating the various plants. Black and pale blue morning glories sprouting from black vines. The swaying red leaves of weeping willows. White roses with black thorns crawling across patches of ground. Purple asters bunched up like bushes. A large field of nothing but softly glowing moonflowers. Ghost orchids and ghost pipes sprouting in spots.

The ghosts can’t help but smile or laugh. At the strange beauty, at the slightly absurd humour, at the showy grandeur. This was Phantom’s alright and now he finally had a proper lair. His proper place amongst them, amongst the Realms. As guardian of both sides of the coin. With a wise advisor and loyal Knight at his side, plenty of allies to stand beside him as well. Even if both friend and foe absolutely were still going to harass him. 

**End.**


End file.
